1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to document support devices and more particularly to a video display monitor which engages a removably mountable and universally positionable document holder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term "casing" herinafter refers to members which make up the outer cover, or housing, of a video display monitor.
The term "document" hereinafter refers to a single page or a multiple number of pages.
The term "document support monitor" hereinafter refers to a video display monitor which is fitted with specific means for removably mounting an engageable document holder.
The term "document holder" hereinafter refers to a copyholder which includes means for mounting a document and which further includes means for engaging the mounting means of a specifically fitted document support monitor.
The term "document support monitor stand" hereinafter refers to a document support monitor and its engageable document holder.
Despite the fact that computers are now worldwide and used my millions of individuals the video display monitor art is quite limited in providing specific means for engaging a document holder. The need for such an ability is quite apparent when one observes how often a computer operator finds it necessary to refer to the hardcopy of a document when sitting in front of the computer screen.
The prior art discloses three references (two of which include the same disclosure) which relate to a video display monitor which is fitted with specific means for removably mounting an engageable document holder (document support monitor stand).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,705 (Henneberg et al.) discloses a document support monitor stand which has an annular groove formed in four of its sides (excluding its front and rear sides) for engaging the tubular bracket of its document holder. The document holder includes a bracket and a copyholder. The copyholder can be mounted on the left or right side of the monitor casing by changing the position of the mounted bracket. The copyholder can be slid and/or turned on the bracket (by loosening a thumbscrew) allowing for its adjustment both vertically and sideways. There is no provision for extending or retracting the location of the copyholder.
Two additional references which disclose the same document support monitor stands are U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,327 (Hegarty et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,020 (Hegarty et al.). The just mentioned patents are a continuation of previously filed International Application PCT/US91/05984 filed Aug. 21, 1991, which entered the U.S. National Stage on Apr. 22, 1992 and was assigned Ser. No. 07/854,999 now abandoned. The just mentioned applications, the priority of which is claimed, are herein incorporated by reference. These patents disclose a document support monitor stand which has specific means residing on either of the outward facing left and right sides of the monitor for mounting an engageable document holder. The mounting and engaging means require the cooperation of either one or two protruding rails and a slotted member. The document holder includes a support arm, a positioning device, and a copyholder. The document holder is mounted by initially approaching the desired side from a direction which is normal to the side, alternatively, in a second form of the invention, access to the left or right side is provided from the top side of the monitor. The vertical height of the copyholder is changed by moving the location of the document holder's support arm on the mounting side of the monitor. Additionally, the document holder includes a multi-positional device for changing the position of the copyholder's viewing side. The multi-positional device positions the viewing side about three separate, distinct, axes of rotation. The document holder's support arm contains telescoping means for extending and retracting the location of the copyholder.
One of the primary disadvantages of the document support monitor stands disclosed in the prior art is that they require a modification in the exterior design of the left and right sides of the monitor casing. Such a modification is a hindrance when one considers that the modern day video display monitor is frequently equipped with controls and/or mounted speakers at its sides.
Another significant disadvantage of the document support stands disclosed in the prior art is that they do not allow for engagement of its members at the front, forward facing side of the monitor, the side which is most easily accessible by its user.
A yet further disadvantage of the document support monitor stands disclosed in the prior art is that the monitors' means for mounting a document holder are frequently not appropriate for monitors having different shapes from those disclosed in the cited references. Consequently, the cited document holders can not be all-inclusive in their ability to engage the document holder mounting means of differently shaped monitors.
An even yet further disadvantage of the document support monitor stands disclosed in the prior art is that their engaged document holders are limited in their ability to change the spatial (vertical/horizontal) location and viewing (tilt) position of their supported copyholders.